Best online bookmakers South Africa 2024

Welcome to our guide to the best online bookmakers in South Africa, which will run you through everything you need to know about the top legal bookmakers and where you should be betting. The top ZAR online bookmakers in South Africa will be regulated by one of the nine provinces, be mobile friendly, have extensive customer support options and of course have thousands of daily betting markets on sports and racing events at home and abroad.

The best South African online bookmakers for 2024 are:

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Top online bookmakers in 2024

In this section of our top online bookmakers article we will run you through our favourite SA betting companies and give you a brief description of each. 

Hollywoodbets

The biggest online bookmaker in South Africa, HollywoodBets offers an outstanding betting service, although its online facilities are a little dated. Horse racing and sports betting are the main features of this online bookmaker, but it also delves into Betgames, live casino and lottery. HollywoodBets on top of its online bookmaker facilities, also has 81 betting shops across South Africa. HollywoodBets review.

Betway 

Betway.co.za is a respected gambling brand that has a dedicated South African website. Licensed to operate in South Africa, Betway sits comfortably among the top online bookmakers for sports bettors, although its limited racing offering is a huge negative. It also has live casino and some betgames. Betway has one of the better free bet offers. Betway SA review.  

SupaBets

Supabets is another online bookmaker in South Africa with a strong reputation. Supabets has both horse racing and sports betting and has a great website. We have heard reports of the free bet no-deposit bookie offer being hard to claim, but we had no trouble when we claimed it. Supabets has a responsive customer service department, which puts it in our top five online bookmakers for South Africa.  SupaBets review.

Sportingbet SA

SportingBet South Africa is one of the top bookmakers online with an outstanding reputation, that stretches right around the world. Sportingbet.co.za allows customers to bet on sports and racing events both in South Africa and abroad. You will also have access to live gambling games, which are now legal in South Africa, and a bevy of market-leading promotions. SportingBet is also one of the most visible online bookmakers in South Africa, with several high-profile sponsorships and TV campaigns putting them on the map. Sportingbet review.

PlayaBets

PlayaBets might not have the profile of some of the other brands that make our top bookmakers list in South Africa, but it certainly packs a punch. Playabets has been around for a number of years, but it’s only in recent years it has upped its game in digital betting. Surprisingly, Playabets odds often stack up better than its bigger opposition, while it also has some great promotions surrounding football, basketball and other popular sports in South Africa. Playabets review.

Bet.co.za

A rapidly emerging online bookmaker, Bet.co.za gives customers a great wagering experience, that sits comfortably among the best in South Africa. Boasting great bookmaker apps, nice odds and an exceptionally well-thought-out website, Bet.co.za has become a destination bookie in this country and we have no hesitation including it on our top bookmakers list. This bookmaker also has some great promotions for new players, with its welcome bonus among the biggest we promote on the World Gambling List. Bet.co.za review.

SunBet.co.za

One of the latest online bookmakers to join the WGL South Africa stable, SunBet is owned by gambling giant Sun International and has a good reputation for fairness. SunBet has bookmaker apps for both Android and iOS smartphones and while its markets lack depth, in terms of sports and racing, the odds are competitive with other betting sites. SunBet also has some nice bookmaker promotions and we have no hesitation adding it to our top bookmakers list. SunBet review.


Bookmakers with welcome bonus

The bookmakers with welcome bonus offers are over 30 in South Africa, with these types of sign-up bonuses common-place. With so many online bookmakers vying for your money, it is hard to work out which welcome bonuses are legit.

South African bookmaker welcome offers or sign-up bonuses are generally broken into several different categories:

No deposit welcome bonus: These types of no-deposit welcome bonuses mean you just have to open an account to claim the offer. Sometimes you may have to verify your account.

Fica bonus: The Fica welcome bonus is not as mainstream as it used to be in South Africa, but is essentially a way of proving your identity, which paves the way for you to claim this no-deposit bookmaker offer.

Matched bookmaker offer: This is when you make your first deposit and have it matched in bonus bets. For instance you might deposit R1000 and be given an extra R1000 in bonuses to bet with.

Bookmaker free bets: These generally are part of a welcome bonus at South African bookmakers. Bookmaker freebets are usually a small amount given to you for opening an account. For instance the Sportingbet freebet gets players a matched deposit while the Betway free bet gives you R25 free, no deposit required.


Sports betting at South African bookmakers

South African online bookmakers are regulated by state and province governments and must be licensed to operate. It is illegal to operate in or target South African bettors if you don’t have a licence. The top ZA online bookmakers we promote on this website are all legally allowed to operate in South Africa and will cater extensively to local sports such as rugby, cricket, football and racing. In this section we’ll break down some of the sports to bet on at the best bookmakers online. 

Top Rugby bookmakers

The South Africa national team the Springboks are the world champions, while local punters can also bet on their favourite franchise in the United Rugby Championship, which runs until June/July. South Africa has four franchises competing, the Lions, Sharks, Stormers and Bulls, against teams from Ireland, Scotland, Italy and Wales. Of course, South African teams were formerly in the southern hemisphere-based Super Rugby against teams from New Zealand and Australia and elsewhere but withdrew from that competition in 2020. South Africa bookmakers will have frequent and extensive odds available for Super Rugby, the United Rugby Championships and international matches, as well as other domestic matches. Popular match-day rugby betting markets at bookmakers in South Africa include first try-scorer, penalties over/under betting, total score over/under betting, outright winner betting and even line betting, which essentially is handicapping matches. Overall coverage of all rugby at the top ZAR bookmakers  is outstanding. 

Best football bookmakers

The Premier Soccer League and the Premier Division is the top-flight football competition in South Africa. Obviously the Premier League draws huge interest and the 2020-21 competition did not disappoint, with Mamelodi Sundowns landing a fourth consecutive title. They are headed for a fifth straight title in the 2021-22 season. 

While the PSL pales in popularity worldwide in comparison to established competitions such as the EPL and La Liga, it continues to develop and is a popular competition for locals to bet on. 

SA bookmakers feature Australia’s A-League extensively with punters loving it as a medium, and some games are available to watch on free-to-air TV. 

Some football bookmakers in South Africa will also have live streaming of various competitions from around the world available. Betway is a great company to find live sports stream. 

Top South African cricket bookmakers in 2024 

Cricket is a massive summer sport in South Africa and punters love betting on it. This means the top cricket betting sites will feature odds on both South African domestic cricket and all International matches. The World Gambling List will cover South Africa’s international games with tips and previews. 

The best bookmakers online will have plenty of futures markets on cricket, with these including odds like who will win the Test Championship, T20 World Cup and the 50 Over World Cup, not to mention the various ODI and T20 tournaments that International teams and players often fight out. These include tournaments such as the Big Bash League and the Indian Premier League. 

Betting markets on cricket on match day will include leading run-scorer for both teams, top wicket-taker, man of the match and plenty of lines (total game runs, individual player run over/under and many more). Of course there will also be match markets such as outright winner and series winner. 

Without a doubt the T20 cricket scene has proven the most popular with punters, with the short matches and often erratic results proving to be a hit. Australia will be defending champions and hosts when the 2022 T20 World Cup rolls around in October. 

General online bookmakers for sports

While the three sports or competitions mentioned above attract a huge betting interest at South African online bookmakers, the depth of betting markets available at modern bookmakers is staggering. For instance, despite many football competitions being cancelled in 2021, because of Covid-19, there are still upwards of 30 different competitions available to bet on at online bookmakers.

Football leagues such as the EPL, La Liga and Bundesliga are undoubtedly very popular to bet on, but you can also bet on leagues as diverse as the PSL, A-League, J-League and various European competitions. 

Other sports you will find with betting markets at SA online bookmakers include table tennis, basketball, both field hockey and ice hockey and many, many more. Check our guide to sports betting online for a full list of available sports to bet on online. 


Mobile bookmakers

One of the good things about betting with the best online bookmakers in 2024 is that you can do it via your mobile phone, with most companies now being fully compatible across Android and iPhone apps, while they will also be accessible via mobile websites. It is true that South African bookmakers are not as developed as in some other betting markets, but they are improving all the time. 

Online bookmakers say that more than 50% of bets are taken via mobile devices such as phones and tablets, which is why such great emphasis is put on developing apps. The two main online bookmaker app types are Android and iOS with these clearly the two biggest. 

The best mobile bookmakers in South Africa will allow you to do everything that you could on your desktop computer when betting, with some companies rolling out mobile-only features such as streaming or live scores. Below we’ll break down the three different types of punters who use mobile online bookmakers.

Mobile bookmaker sites

For punters who want to bet on their mobile but they don’t have an Android or iOS device or simply don’t want to download a betting app, the best online bookies in South Africa will have mobile sites, meaning you can punch in your bookie’s website address and sign in via your browser on your mobile device. 

Android bookmakers 

Many of the best bookie sites will have Android bookmaker apps available. With Android bookmaker apps you need to download them after you have created an account at your chosen betting company, with Google not having gambling apps available in the store. Despite having to download the apps directly from bookmakers, they are still heavily regulated and fall under the same rules as online betting companies. 

iOS bookmakers

Users of Apple phones will know that their operating system is called iOS and the good news is in South Africa you can download bookmaker apps for these devices. The best iOS bookmaker apps are free, allow you to bet on sports and racing events in South Africa and will even feature live streaming. Read our online bookmaker reviews to find out which of the ZA online bookmakers have iOS apps available in 2024. 


Online bookmaker laws in South Africa

Online bookmaker and gambling laws in South Africa are lengthy, but they are quite simple to explain. To operate as a bookmaker in South Africa, you must hold a licence from one of the nine provinces. Overseas bookmakers also must be licensed to accept bets from South Africans. 

In total there are about 40 online bookmakers that are legally allowed to operate in South Africa. However, there are many more that breach local laws and will accept sports bets from signups from these parts. The World Gambling List chooses to abide by the local sports betting laws and not advertise offshore bookmakers to South Africa. 

Gambling laws in South Africa are becoming more lenient and now there are live casino games available at some licensed betting sites. Sports betting must be done at licensed bookmakers in South Africa and the government has the right to confiscate winnings before they reach your account. In practice, online bookmakers and gambling sites based overseas don’t fall under these laws, which means millions of Rand is wagered weekly to offshore companies. 

Basically, South Africans can partake in all forms of gambling, including at online bookmakers, without fear of getting in trouble. Just make sure you do your homework before betting with online bookmakers. Make sure you bet with a safe and reputable online bookmaker. 


Online bookmaker deposit options

South Africans have plenty of options when it comes to depositing to online bookmakers, including credit and debit cards, web wallets and payment processors. As a general rule funding your online bookmaker account will be a straight-forward and instant process, although there are payment methods such as bank transfers that may take a few days to be processed and be accessible. Some of the more common ZAR bookmaker deposit methods are: 


Online bookmaker withdrawal options

Online bookmakers are more limited in the options when it comes to withdrawing any winnings or cashing out your balance. This is because not all payment methods are available to withdraw with, such options as Visa and debit cards often only allowing you to deposit. 

The most common withdrawal options at online bookmakers include bank transfers and moving money back to a web wallet, while others will also allow you to withdraw via a cheque and mail service. 

It’s important to note that often there will be withdrawal fees at South African online bookmakers, sometimes being billed by the bookmaker but more often by the payment service that you are using. For instance depositing with Neteller is free at ZA online bookies, while withdrawing will often have a small percentage charge, capped at around the 10 Rand mark. 


South Africa Online bookmakers Q and A

If you are new to online bookmakers or looking to learn more about the online betting scene in South Africa, the team at the World Gambling List is qualified and happy to answer your questions. You can contact us via email at contact@worldgamblinglist.com or via the box below. 

Best South African bookmakers with Paypal deposits? 

Unfortunately, Paypal cannot be used at South African bookmakers for deposits. 

What odds formats do South African online bookmakers display? 

South African bookmakers show odds in a decimal format, but often they will allow you to switch between decimal, fractional and American odds types. 

Can I get sign-up bonuses at South African bookmakers.

There are many South African bookmaker sign-up bonuses and promotions available. Some of the best free bet offers for South Africa include those from HollywoodBets and Betway. 

Is sports betting legal in South Africa? 

Sports betting and horse racing wagering is 100% legal and regulated in South Africa, with the only stipulation being that it must be done via a ZA-licensed bookmaker. Some of the best online bookmakers include Betway and HollywoodBets.

Which online bookmakers have betting apps?

Nearly all of the best online bookmakers promoted on the World Gambling List have both Android and iOS betting apps available. If a top online bookmaker does not have downloadable apps available, you will be able to bet via their mobile bookmaker services. 

How long do withdrawals take at online bookmaker sites? 

Withdrawal times at the best online bookmakers in South Africa can vary depending on the operator and the method that you use.  For instance a bank transfer is the most common way, with it taking anywhere from overnight to five days in our experiences. Some ZAR online bookmakers like Betway allow Neteller withdrawals which can processed within a few hours. 

Do online bookmakers cater to the Rand currency?

Yes, all of the top bookmakers online in South Africa cater to the South African Rand (ZAR).